The present invention relates to a new antiseptic and biodegradable composite material, comprising the complex of povidone-iodine or iodopovidone (hereinbelow, PVPI) and alginate, and to medical devices produced with the use of the above-mentioned composite material.
The povidone-iodine complex is a water-soluble complex of iodine and polyvinylpyrrolidone widely used for its bactericide and fungicide properties. PVPI is known for its iodophor properties, i.e., as a substance acting as a vehicle or solubilizer for iodine and which is able to release into solution small amounts of free iodine, minimizing the toxicity thereof and preserving the moderate germicide activity of that element.
The most common form of the PVPI complex is its aqueous solution containing from 9% to 12% of available iodine (calculated on the anhydrous basis); aqueous solutions of PVPI are directly applied to open wounds or infected regions, a method commonly known as wound irrigation. While the low release of iodine from the PVPI complex into solution minimizes the toxicity of iodine for mammal cells, its quick absorption by open wounds during irrigation may cause severe toxicity problems, thus limiting the surgical applications thereof, particularly for repeated applications.
Besides its wide use as a skin antiseptic, PVPI is also used internally, for example on burns, large wounds, deep tissues, or mucosae.
In the dressing field, products for wound dressings are particularly available, using PVPI as an active ingredient in combination with polymeric substances, such as, for example, polyethylene glycol (PEG), such as, particularly the commercial product “INADINE” by Johnson & Johnson.
However, PEG has the drawback to be a synthetic, non-biodegradable polymer.